Formula 1: 4 drivers can be eliminated in the U.S. Grand Prix

Four of the remaining Formula 1 world championship “contenders” can be eliminated in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

Believe it or not, there is still a mathematical possibility that somebody other than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen or Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the two drivers who have sat in the top two in the driver standings through the first 16 races of the 2021 Formula 1 season and have combined to win 12 races, can win this year’s world championship.

Today’s United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas could go a long way in terms of ending that slim possibility.

Mathematically speaking, anybody within 159 points (really 158 considering points leader Verstappen has seven wins and there are just six races remaining for the non-winners to potentially win) has a chance to win the title.

Take a look at the drivers still eligible, and then we will break down what is behind that 159-point total.

Rank – Driver: Points (Behind)
1 – Max Verstappen – 262.5 (0)
2 – Lewis Hamilton – 256.5 (-6)
3 – Valtteri Bottas – 177 (-85.5)
4 – Lando Norris – 145 (-117.5)
5 – Sergio Perez – 135 (-127.5)
6 – Carlos Sainz Jr. – 116.5 (-146)
7 – Charles Leclerc – 116 (-146.5)

Here’s how we arrived at that 159-point mark.

• Race wins (25 points each)
  • x6 races = 150 points
• Fastest laps (1 point each)
  • x6 races = 6 points (156 points)
• Sprint qualifying race winner (3 points)
  • 1 race only (Brazilian Grand Prix) = 3 points (159 points)

After today’s United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, that total will drop to 133 points, meaning that McLaren’s Lando Norris, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Ferrari teammates Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc can be officially eliminated from title contention this afternoon.

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas cannot be mathematically eliminated in this race, though surely his time for elimination is not too far away.

You can still get odds for the other five championship contenders, though I’m not sure why you’d want to waste money on them at this point, so take a look at the odds for the top two, courtesy of WynnBET.

• Max Verstappen -165
• Lewis Hamilton: +120

ESPN is set to broadcast the United States Grand Prix live from Circuit of the Americas beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET this afternoon, so make sure to start your free trial of FuboTV today if you have not already done so!

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